HIT CHANNEL EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: November 2010. We had the great honour to talk with a legendary musicians: Frank Bornemann. He is the leader of ELOY for about 40 years and he has done with them some fantastic albums over the years. Eloy have just released the studio album, “Visionary” and they will release the “Legacy Box” DVD very soon. Read below the very interesting things he told us:
Yes, it was very difficult to find enough material from the past. The seventies were not the time of many video clips and live recordings with cameras and stage illuminations like today… but still we have found enough to make something for our fan community around the world. The DVD is a double DVD and will contain 1 1/2 hour with statements of many members of the group (even those from the past) and they tell the story of the band from their individual point of view. Furthermore, you will find TV-Shows (live and playback), videoclips and concert recordings. It was made for real Eloy fans by close friends of the band who were able to realize a project like this. For fans in foreign countries all comments are translated in English by subtitles.
Are you satisfied with the release of “Visionary” album and the feedback you got from fans and press?
Yes, I´m happy and surprised by the positive response from everywhere in the world
Did you try anything different in the studio this time? Was it difficult to get the band in the studio after so many years?
“Visionary” is the first album of the band which was recorded in digital. That’s why I decided to make the final mastering with analog stuff to make the sound warmer and more vintage sounding. Many listeners did appreciate that “Visionary” sounds a little like an album from the seventies or the eighties. It was indeed not easy to realize this album as all the members of the group live in different countries and at different places in Europe and meanwhile everybody has his own business there. We had to do everything step by step in many recording sessions.
Is it possible another studio album by Eloy in the future?
Last but not least because of the strong response we will surely do another one.
For the reasons I already mentioned it will be very difficult to play live in the future but I try hard to make it real.
You are the main producer at Horus Studios. Do you enjoy your job as producer or it’s better to write and play your own music? Who are your influences as a producer?
I´m not the main producer of the Horus Sound Studio. I´m only one of the owners and I produce from time to time young bands which brings a lot fun in my life. At the moment I started to write and to realize my Rock Opera about “Jeanne d´Arc” and I´ve already started to collect new ideas for another Eloy-Album.
Eloy is a German band but they have more in common with the English bands from the ‘70s than the German ones. How did you take that decision then? Do you like the band that are labeled as “kraut rock”?
Eloy is not a “krautrock band” in my opinion. The reason why we have always written our lyrics in English is easy to explain. We don´t play our music not only for German people and only for that reason our lyrics should be understandable around the world. The most people in the world speak English or they have learned the language at school.
What kind of music are you listening to this period?
I´m most of the time in Paris meanwhile and I listen to the music there.
Not really, Rock ‘n’ Roll will never die. I don´t like the music business not so much which is in an awful state at the moment … and it´s getting even worse. All we can do is to save the spirit of good music is being a real artist and to play real music which is coming from the bottom of the heart.
Did you have any offer to play in Greece during the last years? Send a message to the Greek fans.
Yes I had some offers over the years (the very last one recently) but the band is not able to play concerts at the moment for the reasons I mentioned. I´m very sorry about it and I hope I will be able to realize a tour anytime in the future. Please give my warmest regards to all the Eloy fans in Greece and tell them that I´m deeply touched by their eternal sympathy and fidelity. They are living in my heart since our concerts beginning of the eighties in your country. I will never forget these wonderful days.
A huge “THANK YOU” to Mr Frank Bornemann.
Please check out http://www.eloy-legacy.com .